Go see this show.
It will be playing at the National Theatre until January 17, then opens on Broadway on February 23. For once I’m giving you my opinion with enough time to take advantage of it, so don’t miss out!
With an amazing cast, great scenery (especially in the bridge scene) and the addition of Spanish, this revival is shockingly good. That said, it was far from perfect. I saw the show during the previews, so some kinks are to be expected and hopefully will be ironed out by the time the show hits Broadway.
Both Matt Cavenaugh (A Catered Affair, Grey Gardens) as Tony and Cody Green as Riff struggled during the opening scenes to find their characters. While they are wearing color coded vests and dancing in synch, they are still gang members, something that should be frightening, if not serious. The opening scene, in which the Jets strut in union onto the stage seemed reminiscent of a comedy sketch. A friend said it reminded her of Michael Jackson’s Thriller video, which, as I think about it, is a perfect analogy. Thankfully, both managed to become much more human and less caricature throughout the first act. Cavenaugh has a beautiful voice, one well suited to the extreme range required of his character, but he should be thankful for technology of head mics, because his voice is far from strong.
Josefina Scaglione, an Argentinean actress, plays Maria to perfection. She has a beautiful voice, and brings Maria to vivid life. She is clearly an actress going places. Karen Olivo, from In The Heights fame, plays Anita. Olivo brings a much needed authenticity to the cast. Whereas Scaglione’s Maria is somewhat separate from the realities of Brooklyn, Olivo gives Anita the ability to show the audience the real experience of their neighborhood. George Akram plays Bernardo brilliantly, managing to deftly avoid the easy pitfall of overacting, in a role with far too many opportunities. He has a great voice, and the ability to portray a realistic Bernardo, making him both sympathetic and understandable.
